Current Affairs One - Liner: 24th July 2026

National:

On 22 July 2026, the Ministry of Coal released AAROH—Annual Report on Mine Closure, India’s first national report documenting scientific closure and repurposing of coal mines. It covers ecological restoration, land reclamation and productive reuse of former mining areas, with the purpose of making mine closure environmentally responsible and beneficial to affected communities.

Current Affairs One - Liner: 24th July 2026

On 20 July 2026, the government highlighted cotton’s importance as India’s “White Gold.” India ranks first globally in cotton cultivation area and second in production and consumption. The initiative focuses on improving productivity, fibre quality, traceability, value addition and farmers’ market access under the Mission for Cotton Productivity.
On 21 July 2026, NCVET recognised the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj as a Dual Awarding Body. NIRDPR can now directly conduct training, assess learners and issue NSQF-aligned certificates for approved programmes, strengthening standardised vocational education for rural youth, self-help groups and Panchayati Raj functionaries.
On 21 July 2026, the Digital India BHASHINI Division and the Goa Government organised BHASHINI Rajyam in Panaji. The workshop promoted the use of multilingual artificial-intelligence tools in Konkani and other Indian languages to make government information, digital platforms and citizen services more accessible to people in their preferred language.
On 22 July 2026, Killai in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district was highlighted as the state’s first operational Climate-Resilient Village under the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission. The project combines ecosystem restoration, waste management, livelihood support and community preparedness to reduce risks from floods, cyclones and other climate-related disasters.
On 22 July 2026, the government reported that 99.6% of Indian Railways’ broad-gauge network had been electrified, making it the world’s second-most extensively electrified large rail network after Switzerland. Electrification aims to reduce diesel consumption, foreign-exchange expenditure, operating costs and carbon emissions from railway transport.
In July 2026, the Nature Conservation Foundation and National Biodiversity Authority launched the year-long Campus Biodiversity Register Project. Colleges and universities will record plants, birds, insects and other species using platforms such as iNaturalist, eBird and SeasonWatch, creating permanent biodiversity records and involving students in citizen science.
On 23 July 2026, Andhra Pradesh launched a blockchain-based land-record pilot covering selected mandals. The technology will create tamper-resistant records of ownership and property transactions, with the purpose of reducing land fraud, unauthorised alteration, disputes and delays in the verification of land titles.
On 22 July 2026, the Jharkhand Government signed an MoU with the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute to establish a film institute in Ranchi. The institution will provide professional education in filmmaking, television and media while developing local creative talent and supporting Jharkhand’s film and entertainment economy.
On 23 July 2026, Gujarat launched the Samras Vidyasetu campaign to identify children who had dropped out of school and bring them back into formal education. The campaign seeks to improve enrolment, provide academic support and prevent disadvantaged children from permanently leaving the education system.
On 22 July 2026, Tamil Nadu renamed the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme as the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme. The programme provides morning meals to primary-school students and aims to reduce classroom hunger, improve attendance and honour former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj’s contribution to public education.
In July 2026, Rajya Sabha Rule 267 returned to public attention. It allows a member, with the Chairman’s consent, to move for the suspension of a particular House rule in relation to listed business. It is not automatically equivalent to a Lok Sabha adjournment motion and is permitted only under strict procedural conditions.

International:

Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi visited India from 17 to 20 July 2026. He attended IIT Madras’s 63rd Convocation and held talks with Indian leaders on education, trade, investment and development cooperation. The visit aimed to strengthen India–Tanzania relations and cooperation involving the IIT Madras Zanzibar campus.
On 21 July 2026, five United Nations agencies released the SOFI 2026 Report, stating that global hunger declined to approximately 7.8% of the world’s population in 2025. Despite the improvement, around 645 million people faced hunger, leaving the world off track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030.
On 20–21 July 2026, India hosted the BRICS Network University Conference and International Governing Board meeting. The meetings promoted cooperation among BRICS universities in education, research and innovation and proposed traditional and indigenous knowledge systems as a new thematic area for academic collaboration.
A University of Oxford study released on 6 July 2026 ranked 205 major cities according to extreme-heat exposure, social vulnerability and coping capacity. Several Indian cities appeared among the high-risk locations, highlighting the need for heat-action plans, affordable cooling, urban tree cover and climate-resilient infrastructure.
On 22 July 2026, the United States and Saudi Arabia signed a civil nuclear cooperation or “123 Agreement.” The agreement provides a framework for peaceful nuclear-energy cooperation and US participation in Saudi Arabia’s nuclear programme, although implementation remains subject to congressional review, safeguards and evolving political conditions.
On 22 July 2026, Indian-origin physician and former Arizona legislator Amish Shah won the Democratic primary for Arizona’s First Congressional District. He will contest the general election against Republican Jay Feely in a closely watched race that could influence control of the United States House of Representatives.
On 22 July 2026, China launched its Gravity-1 commercial rocket from a mobile platform in waters off Shanghai and placed nine satellites into orbit. The mission demonstrated China’s expanding sea-launch capability, which offers flexible launch locations and supports the country’s growing commercial-space industry.

Banking:

On 22 July 2026, ICRA projected India’s real GDP growth at 6.4–6.6% for the first quarter of FY27. Strong activity in construction, mining and other high-frequency indicators supported the forecast, although weaker corporate margins could restrict overall value-added growth.
On 21 July 2026, RBI approved Areion Group’s proposed ₹936 crore acquisition of Aviom India Housing Finance and granted fit-and-proper approval to its promoter. The transaction is intended to support the resolution and revival of the troubled housing-finance company but still requires the applicable tribunal approval.
RBI data reported on 22 July 2026 showed that fresh NRI deposit inflows declined by approximately 29% to $1.33 billion during April–May FY27, compared with $1.88 billion a year earlier. The decline reflected weaker inflows into NRE and FCNR(B) accounts before RBI’s subsequent foreign-currency mobilisation measures.

Appointments:

On 22 July 2026, the Centre appointed 1989-batch IAS officer Anurag Jain as Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog for a two-year term. He will lead the government’s principal policy think tank and coordinate development strategies, economic reforms, infrastructure planning and initiatives supporting the Viksit Bharat vision.
With effect from 20 July 2026, Rahul Himalian, IRCTC’s Director of Tourism and Marketing, assumed additional charge as Chairman and Managing Director following Sanjay Kumar Jain’s resignation. He will oversee IRCTC’s catering, tourism, digital-ticketing and strategic operations until a regular appointment is made.

MoUs:

On 22 July 2026, NABARD and Maharashtra government enterprise MAHAPREIT signed an MoU to finance and promote green, climate-resilient infrastructure in rural India. The partnership will support renewable energy, biogas and sustainable community infrastructure, initially focusing on villages and Panchayati Raj Institutions in Maharashtra.
On 19 July 2026, Microsoft India and IIT Delhi’s Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer launched UNNATI AI 2.0. The programme will provide mentorship, technology support and ecosystem access to artificial-intelligence startups and innovators, particularly those developing scalable solutions for India’s social and economic needs.
On 22 July 2026, the Paralympic Committee of India and Cerebral Palsy Sports Federation of India signed an MoU to jointly bid for the 2029 World Abilitysport Games. The proposed bid aims to bring a major international para-sports competition to India and strengthen accessibility and the country’s Paralympic ecosystem.
On 22 July 2026, HAL and France’s Safran Aircraft Engines signed a long-term agreement under which HAL will manufacture superalloy turbine-ring forgings for CFM LEAP engines in Bengaluru. The partnership aims to expand India’s civil-aerospace manufacturing capabilities and strengthen integration into the global aircraft-engine supply chain.

Defence:

On 22 July 2026, DRDO’s Centre for Air Borne Systems signed contracts with AI Engineering Services and Adani Defence for the AEW&C Mk-II programme. Six Airbus A321 aircraft will be converted and equipped with indigenous surveillance systems to strengthen the Indian Air Force’s airborne early-warning and command capabilities.
On 22 July 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged in Samudra Pradakshina, the first tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition. Nine women officers completed a 314-day voyage covering approximately 25,500 nautical miles across four oceans, demonstrating women’s empowerment, tri-service cooperation and India’s indigenous sailing capability.
On 22 July 2026, the Indian Navy commissioned INS Malvan at Karwar. It is the second indigenously designed Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, built with over 80% indigenous content to detect and counter submarines in coastal and shallow-water areas.

Science & Technology:

On 22 July 2026, IIT Madras announced that it would host the third Digital India RISC-V Symposium on 1–2 August 2026 in partnership with MeitY and RISC-V International. The event aims to advance indigenous processor design, open-standard chip technology and India’s semiconductor-development ecosystem.
On 22 July 2026, the ICMR-NIN-led Let’s Fix Our Food Consortium released policy priorities for healthier diets and food environments for children and adolescents. The recommendations focus on nutrition labelling, healthier school environments, food advertising and prevention of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases.

Sports:

On 23 July 2026, boxer Lovlina Borgohain was assured of India’s first medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after receiving a direct entry into the women’s 75 kg semifinals. Since both losing semifinalists receive bronze medals, she secured at least a bronze before entering the ring.

Awards and Honours:

On 20 July 2026, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was selected for the Lokmanya Tilak National Award. The award, scheduled to be presented in Pune on 1 August, recognises his contribution to national security, counterterrorism, intelligence coordination and strategic affairs.

Important Days:

National Broadcasting Day was observed on 23 July 2026 to commemorate India’s first organised radio broadcast from Bombay on 23 July 1927. The day highlights radio’s continuing role in public information, education, emergency communication, cultural preservation and outreach to remote and linguistically diverse communities.
Lokmanya Tilak Jayanti was observed on 23 July 2026, marking the birth anniversary of Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1856. Tilak popularised the demand for Swaraj, mobilised public participation through cultural festivals and became one of the most influential nationalist leaders of India’s freedom movement.

Questions:

Q1.Who was appointed Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog for a two-year term in July 2026?
a) Anurag Jain
b) Amitabh Kant
c) B. V. R. Subrahmanyam
d) Rajiv Kumar

Answer: a) The 1989-batch IAS officer was appointed to lead NITI Aayog and coordinate development strategies, reforms and the Viksit Bharat vision.

Q2.What does Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha permit?
a) Automatic adjournment of the House
b) Suspension of a particular House rule with the Chairman’s consent
c) Removal of the Vice-President
d) Introduction of a Money Bill

Answer: b) Rule 267 permits a member, with the Chairman’s approval, to seek suspension of a specified rule relating to listed business. It is not automatically equivalent to a Lok Sabha adjournment motion.